


In The Spirit

by Lady_Felucia



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), kylux - Fandom
Genre: Boys Kissing, Childish Kylo Ren, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Crushes, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Evil Space Boyfriends, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Funny Kylux, Gay, General Hux - Freeform, Holiday, Kissing, Kylo Ren - Freeform, Kylux - Freeform, Love, M/M, Mistletoe, Out of Character, Romantic Fluff, Scrooge - Freeform, Secret Crush, Short & Sweet, Short Story, Soft Kylux, Space Gays, Star Wars - Freeform, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015) - Freeform, Star Wars-All Media Types - Freeform, The First Order, cranky hux, relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-09
Updated: 2017-09-09
Packaged: 2018-12-25 21:10:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12044349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Felucia/pseuds/Lady_Felucia
Summary: Holidays and celebrations of happiness are not things that are in alignment with the First Order philosophy. However, once Lord Kylo Ren gets something in his head, he won't stop until his desires become reality.Very recently, Kylo has learned about a charming Terran holiday, called "Christmas". With Snoke's permission, he implements a full-scale celebration of this unusual holiday, much to the delight of his co-workers---- and to the chagrin of his curmudgeonly co-commander, General Hux.





	In The Spirit

"And on Christmas Eve, after the children have gone to sleep, Santa Clause loads his sleigh full of presents and flies through the air, delivering those presents to all the good boys and girls of each world."

Hux, unable to hold it back any longer, burst into loud, shaking laughter.

When Kylo Ren had approached him a month ago about getting the entire base to participate in the Terran-themed holiday, called "Christmas", he had been skeptical.

He saw no need to burden down the always-busy base with unnecessary and, frankly, inane practices. 

Yet as was often the case with Kylo's ideas that he shut down, Kylo went over his head and spoke to Supreme Leader Snoke about his desire. And, as was also often the case, Snoke backed up his apprentice's ludicrous idea entirely.

Now Hux was sitting in the conference room, for once listening and not moderating, to a presentation being given by Kylo Ren on this most unusual of Terra traditions.

Most of it, to Hux, made absolutely no sense. Dragging trees indoors for decorators purposes? Singing? An overweight man dressed in red riding around in an engineless ship, pulled by bizarre looking magical flying animals, and delivering gifts to spoiled children in the middle of the night?

But Kylo seemed determined to go in with this bizarre ritual, and to have everyone else participate in his madness as well.

Hux had expected that this craziness would be met with at least SOME measure of reservation of disdain, but he had no such luck. He could tell, simply by looking at the eyes of everybody in the room, how new and exciting and _different_ this idea was. Just the fact that the normally terrifying Lord Kylo Ren was the one suggesting it, was enough to make it wildly appealing to even the sternest of individuals.

Every day following that initial meeting, Kylo had planned a different activity in the Officer and Stormtrooper/Personnel common rooms. Decorating decadent pastries, odd dances, games . . . Hux was both surprised and dismayed that Kylo knew as much about these rituals as he did.

Hux's least favorite activity had been the group singing, or, as Kylo called it, "carolling". There were many, MANY people that couldn't carry a tune, and who seemed to think that singing loudly was enough to make up for lack of actual talent.

And then there had been the tree.

Hux had been walking down the corridor one day, towards his office, when he noticed that his boots were crunching quite loudly along the floor.

He looked down, and found that there were a great deal of little green things scattered all along the hall.

Hux followed the trail of twigs to the Officer lounge/common area. The room was empty except for Kylo Ren, who was wrestling with a gigantic fir tree in the corner.

"Ren, what are you doing? Why is that filthy thing in here?"

Kylo turned towards him, and Hux noted with mild amusement that he had quite a few green tree sprigs all over his black robes.

"It's not filthy. It's part of the tradition, putting colorful lights and decorations on a tree. And take a deep breath!", Kylo exclaimed, breathing in deep. "Smell how fresh and mint-like the tree makes this room smell?"

Hux took a tiny breath, scrunching up his nose. "Smells like a waste-laden forest, to me."

Kylo sighed and turned back towards the tree, turning it this way and that, trying to find the best angle for it.

"Maker, Kylo, why don't you just use the Force to move that thing? It looks really heavy."

"It is."

"So why--"

"Because doing things, yourself, is part of the ideology. Using the Force would be akin to cheating, I think."

"So, you mean to tell me that you physically carried that bulky, massive tree up all these flights of stairs? What an idiot."

"You have no spirit whatsoever, you know that? You're a -- a -- a Scrooge!"

Hux raised an eyebrow at him. "A WHAT?"

Kylo leaned the tree against the wall and dug around in his oversized pockets until he came up with a small paperback book. The binding was creased and the pages had multiple tears and earmarks; it had obviously been read many times. He tossed the book to Hux, who just barely caught it with the tips of his fingers. 

On the front cover was a black and white sketch of an elderly man, wearing what looked like centuries outdated (and outlandish) clothing. The title read "A Christmas Carol".

"A Scrooge is what you are," Kylo said, turning back to his tree. "It's all in the book, there. I'd suggest you read it."

"I don't have time for leisurely literature, Ren. Certainly not drivel like this."

Nevertheless, he did quietly slip the book into his pocket.

After a few minutes of watching, Hux couldn't help but ask,

"Just where do you propose to obtain lights for this creation of yours?"

Kylo smiled, having finally gotten the tree in the crudely constructed stand, and at the perfect angle.

"Don't worry, I have the engineers working on something as we speak."

"The engineers? The ones we keep to work on the weapons arsenal and machinery? THOSE engineers are working on--on _lights_ , for a tree?"

Kylo rolled his eyes at Hux's tone.

"It's not like they have anything important to do."

"Id argue that they have PLENTY else they could and should be doing, in lieu of this nonsense! Like--"

"You know, General," Kylo interrupted him, "I imagine you'd feel a LOT better if you removed the stick from your ass."

Hux scowled at him.

"How's YOUR ass going to feel, once my foot is up there?"

Instead of getting angry back, Kylo just smirked at him.

Your whole foot? Honestly I'd say that THAT level of penetration would at least require you to buy me dinner, first."

Hux's entire face turned red, and he looked down at the floor. Kylo's comment had flustered him, making it difficult to think of a good comeback.

After a few moments, he said "Just make sure you call maintenance to clean up the debris you left in the hallway."

Then he turned and walked quickly from the room, without another word.

\---

Tinsel. Sparkles. Pieces of paper cut into varying designs of snowflakes. Circlets of green tree firs wound together with ribbons and twine, called 'wreaths'.

These decorations, and more, were being hung all around the base by staff and crew members eager to participate in this most unusual of events.

Hux felt like every day something new was to be seen. Aside from the large tree Kylo had put into the Officers lounge, there were now several others in different rooms around the base, including the three separate stormtroopers' common areas, the mess hall, and even the maintenance corridors on the lower levels.

Nobody was more enthused about this whole circus than Kylo Ren.

He found extra time in his day to teach Officers and Stormtroopers alike what he called "Christmas Songs", he was always on-hand to pitch in with decorating.

He had even forced all of the officers to participate in a ritual he referred to as "Secret Santa". The idea was that everybody put there names down on a slip of paper, fold the paper, then put them in a hat (or, in his case, Kylo's helmet). Then each person, not looking, would draw out a name. Whoever's name you chose, you became that persons Santa, and you bought them a gift that you'd give them on Christmas Eve. It was all secret.

Hux reluctantly agreed to participate, and, wouldn't you know it, the name he drew was the last person he'd want to choose a gift for. There was only one thing in the galaxy that he thought this person could possibly want, but to achieve it would be easier said than done.

Something about this whole Terran holiday brought out a side of Kylo Ren that nobody had ever seen before, but that everybody was delighted with regardless. It seemed to evoke in him some primitive sense of childlike wonder and awe, which in turn kept him calmer and more agreeable than anybody had suspected he could be.

Hux thought that this was probably the main reason Supreme Leader Snoke decided to indulge Kylo in this lunacy: since it had begun, there was a significant decrease in damaged equipment, less destruction, and a noticeable _increase_ in employee morale. Any time Ren got upset, all one had to do was start humming one of those hideously cheerful Christmas songs and his mood would effectively improve. "Jingle Bells" seemed to be his favorite.

While Hux didn't particularly like the hullabaloo, he DID secretly enjoy the way Kylo Ren was enjoying it.

There had been a night last week, when Hux was making his final rounds for the evening, and had passed by the Officer's lounge.

Kylo has been in there, alone, sitting on top of one of the tables. The blinds on the windows had been raised all the at up, revealing the snow falling outside. All the lights in the room were off, except the twinkling blue-silver strings on the tree.

Without really questioning what he was doing, Hux walked in quietly and sat down on the table beside Kylo. He remained there for over an hour, watching the snow and enjoying the companionable quiet.

Several days after that, Hux had been in the Officers lounge again, this time with everybody present, holding an informal meeting about next months upcoming missions.

When he was through, he stood up and began heading towards the cooler, to get a drink of water. 

"Ooooh!", went up a chorus of shouts throughout the room, when he reached his destination. Hux looked around himself in confusion.

"Did I miss something?"

"You're standing underneath the mistletoe!", Captain Phasma explained, pointing.

Hux looked up. There was a small green plant with red berries hanging from the ceiling directly above his head. 

"Yes--?"

"Terra tradition dictates that, when you stand underneath the mistletoe with another person, you have to kiss that person."

Kylo Ren happened to be standing next to him. Hux glanced at him, and felt himself blush.

"I think I'll pass on that," Hux said, moving from underneath the plant.

Before Kylo could move, Phasma got up and went to him, giving him a kiss on the cheek. And then Secretary Adams. And Lieutenant Griswald. And before he knew it, Kylo's cheeks and mouth bore the lipstick marks of every female in the room.

Just as his face bore the jealous(?) glance of a certain redhead, sitting and watching it all.

\---

Christmas Eve, and the base was an unusually cheerful buzz of activity. There were several authorized parties for the Stormtroopers being held in the common areas, and one large one for the Officers.

Hux attended that one, not out of interest so much as politeness. The food was quite good, though, and there was more than enough alcohol and music present for everybody to have a decent time.

Maybe, a little TOO much alcohol.

An hour into the party, things started to get animated, with people kissing each other, loudly singing, and exchanging Secret Santa gifts. It turned out that Captain Phasma had been Hux's Santa, and she had gotten him a really beautiful, tasteful new protective case for his DataPad. It was actually something that he needed, as his current one was falling apart. He thanked her sincerely with a hug.

Hux felt bad, though, because Kylo Ren had been sent on a mission at the last second, leaving him unable to attend the Officer's party. He had acted that this didn't bother him, but Hux knew it did. After all, this entire thing has been HIS idea. He would be back within the hour, but by then, the party would likely be winding down.

After awhile Hux grew tired of the festivities and slipped away to his office down the hall. It was blissfully quiet, and, being tired, he put his head down on his desk to rest.

About 20 minutes later, a tap on his shoulder woke him up from his dozing. He sat up, stretched, and yawned.

"I see you're back. Why aren't you at the party?", he asked Kylo, realizing he could still hear the festivities going on down the hall.

Kylo shrugged. "I just stopped in to give Captain Thomason my Secret Santa gift. It seems a little too loud in there for me."

Hux reached underneath his desk and brought out a package. It was neatly wrapped in reflective red wrapping paper, and tied off with a large black bow.

"Here," he said, shoving the gift at Kylo's chest. "I was your secret Santa."

Kylo seemed very surprised. He smiled and lightly shook the box. "Can I open it now?"

"It's yours, you can do whatever you like with it. Only I wouldn't recommend shaking it like that; it's a bit delicate."

Kylo sat down on the edge of Hux's desk and began undoing the shiny wrapping paper. "Is it a motion-sensitive explosive?", he asked, teasing him.

Hux rolled his eyes. "No."

"Then what--"

Kylo stopped short, having gotten most of the paper off and the box opened. He gingerly lifted the heavy helmet out of the box, his mouth dropped open in pure shock. He turned it this way and that in his hands.

He was so overcome with emotion that he was unable to speak. 

"I came across a dealer of Imperial relics. The man had lived in the forest moon of Endor, in the outlands. Apparently he was present at the Ewok's celebration of the end of the Empire. Took that thing from your grandfather's funeral pyre."

"Hux--", Kylo managed to get out, still clutching the helmet. "I've been looking for this, for the past 10 years. I can't believe--I can't believe--"

"Ten years?", Hux asked, with a smirk. "You must be awful at detective work. It took me a couple of weeks."

Kylo looked up at him sharply.

"You really went to this much effort for ME?"

Hux shrugged.

"I couldn't think of anything else you would really want. Isn't that the point of this whole ludicrous holiday? To make another person happy?"

Kylo set the helmet carefully down on the desk. Then he stepped over to Hux and threw both arms around him in a gigantic hug, lifting the redhead right off of his feet.

Hux smiled, even as Kylo's over-enthusiasm squeezed the air from his lungs.

"Okay, okay," he said, freeing one of his hands just enough to pat Kylo awkwardly on the back. "That's enough."

Kylo set him back down, looking mildly embarrassed.

"I have something for you, too. Do you want to wait until tomorrow or do you want it now?"

"For me?", Hux asked, surprised. "Why? You weren't MY Secret Santa."

"I know, but I got you something anyway. Kind of last-minute, but I saw it and knew it was something you needed. So do you want it now or not?"

Hux couldn't help but smile, again, at how enthusiastic Kylo seemed.

"Fine. Let me have it."

"You've gotta close your eyes first."

Hux sighed and closed his eyes.

He was beyond shocked when he felt a very soft, warm pair of lips being touched to his own. 

Kylo's right arm had snaked around his waist, holding Hux impossibly close. In his left hand, held above their heads, he dangled a little piece of mistletoe.

By the time he let go, Hux's head was spinning and he felt frozen in place.

"Why did you do that?", he managed to get out.

"Like I said, I felt like it was something you needed. And so did I."

When Hux didn't say anything further, Kylo sighed and dropped the mistletoe on Hux's desk.

"I knew this would be a bad--"

Hux shocked Kylo, and himself, by throwing his arms around the Knights broad shoulders and kissing him again.

And again.

When he let go of him, this time it was Kylo who seemed frozen in place.

"Why did you do that?", he repeated Hux's question back to him, in a daze.

"It was my understanding that doing nice things for others was a part of this melee. Although I must admit my reasons are just a tiny bit selfish."

"How so?"

"Really, I just wanted to taste your mouth again. It's very, very sweet. What have you been eating?"

Kylo snickered. "I MAY have gotten into Lieutenant Mitaka's candy box."

Hux shook his head, and began putting on his coat. Kylo watched him.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to my quarters. Part of the Terra tradition requires one to bake oddly-shaped cookies and partake in some sort of sweetened, warm chocolate drink, on Christmas Eve."

"I thought you said these customs were stupid."

"They are. But I'm suddenly feeling very much in the holiday spirit."

Kylo folded his arms across his chest. "I don't think those are things you're supposed to do _alone_."

"I know that. That's why you're coming with me."

"I am?"

"You are. Now grab grandpa and let's go."

So they left Hux's office together, walking side by side, laughing and talking.

About halfway down the hall, Kylo said he forgot something, and hurried back into the office.

He grabbed the mistletoe off Hux's desk and tucked it into his pocket, with a grin.

After all, he just _might_ need it again, later.


End file.
